Casino’s new gambling app will let users play anywhere for real money, but they can only cash out on site

A casino in Washington state will be the first in the U.S. to deploy a new online gambling app that allows users to play anywhere on their smartphones, but requires them to purchase games and redeem winnings on site.

Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, Wash. is working with Playport Gaming Systems to put out the new app that allows players to buy games and then wager and win real money this fall. It focuses on games like Bingo and others where players don’t compete against the house.

Muckleshoot is far from the first casino to offer an online gambling app. But what stands out is that the beginning and end of the player’s journey — purchasing the games and collecting winnings — must occur within the boundaries of the casino.

Playport today offers its services at retail locations in Mexico, and with the Muckleshoot alliance it is beginning to bring the product to U.S. tribal casinos. Playport offers custom designs for casinos, and the company says the games will integrate right into their POS and loyalty systems.

The announcement of the new app comes as several gaming companies are dealing with lawsuits in Washington state courts related to their casino-style games. Though none of these companies offer real-money wagers, the lawsuits argue that they are violating Washington state gambling laws, which are some of the strictest in the nation.

Because the Muckleshoot-Playport app focuses on bingo-like games, classified as Class II under federal regulations, they are subject to federal and tribal oversight rather than state laws, said Conrad Granito, general manager at Muckleshoot.

Muckleshoot, located about 30 miles southeast of Seattle, says it has long sought to be one of the more technologically advanced casinos, citing the addition of what it calls a “first-in-the-country” wireless virtual reality lounge and pioneering video slots within its casinos.

Nat Levy is a staff reporter at Geekwire covering a variety of technology topics, including Microsoft, Amazon, tech startups, and the intersection of technology with real estate, courts and government. Contact him at nat@geekwire.com and follow him on Twitter at @natjlevy.

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